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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29971518">Chains of Delusions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumire_Yoshizawa/pseuds/Sumire_Yoshizawa'>Sumire_Yoshizawa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hallucinations, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:14:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29971518</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumire_Yoshizawa/pseuds/Sumire_Yoshizawa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Akira has been abandoned by his family and friends and left feeling worthless after his failed attempt to save a woman. He has lost all hope in his goal of becoming a savior and is now all alone. Little did he know that that incident ended up giving him and a troubled girl a purpose in their lives.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Chains of Delusions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The girl came to consciousness in a large, blue room in visible confusement. Frantically trying to search her surroundings, she looked around the room, noticing many jail cells that seemed to surround the room. She stumbled back, terrified at the thoughts of her being imprisoned that flowed through her head, as she finally turned her attention towards the small table in the middle of the room. Sitting on the opposite side was a dwarf-like crooked man with an extraordinarily long nose who seemingly stared at her, his intent unknown to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Welcome to the Velvet Room," The strange man chuckled, as he brought his hands together in contemplation. "My name... is Igor."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The velvet room...?” the girl replies in a panic trying her best to hide her fight and nervousness. “Um...what am I doing here? Where is this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you want the power to change your fate?” says the long-nosed man stretching his arm out as if to invite the girl. “I can give you the power of persona, this way you will have control over how this game will play out and this may bring changes to the story that has already been told many times before.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl thinks to herself to what seemed like an eternity and then replies without a hint of her previous nervousness. “Yes, please give me that power, I want to use it to finally have a purpose in this world...” replies the red haired girl who shows signs of pain and sadness in her eyes and clutching herself melancholically. “I can finally not just be this worthless excuse of a person. If I took away her happiness, then I must make use of myself to instead help others rather than hurt them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” answered the man with a wide, menacing smile on his face. “I’m excited to see how the game will play out this time around.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akira was suddenly woken up as he quickly scanned his surroundings, his vision swarmed with people as the busy subway car ran smoothly across the rails on its way to Shibuya. Having used to live in the countryside, he wasn't used to being in a big city and railways like this were often rare in his hometown. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts about his hometown, he finally had to accept the truth of the matter. His parents had sent him on his way to serve a year of probation in Tokyo for a crime he never committed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a dark, quiet night, Akira ended up going home later than usual due to having got caught up in some chores he had to do for his high school. Suddenly whilst on his way home he was startled when he heard a woman screaming desperately in the distance. “How dare you cross me!” a man shouted intensely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira started to run without thinking like his body was out of my control, he forced it to move faster than he had ever ran and moved without a care of the strain and pain he was feeling at the moment. In what felt like an instant his blood began to boil; Akira saw a tall man who appeared to be a politician of some sort forcibly grabbing the woman and trying to force her into his car against her will. “Stop!” Akira screamed with consuming anger “Get off of her otherwise I’ll-“.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll what?” interrupted the man who appeared to be drunk with a cocky sneer in his voice “Call the cops? Don’t be so cocky to think you can be any sort of righteous hero, you are powerless, now get out of my sight or I’ll make you regret it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any normal person in his situation would have backed off by now but that wasn’t an option to Akira, it would betray the goals and wishes that he has had since childhood. Akira tried calming down and replied sternly whilst holding back his vigorous rage by gritting his teeth, “You are in the wrong here doesn’t matter if society labels me as wrong or forceful, but I know I can’t turn away if I see someone in trouble... so try me old man I’ll show the public your true disgusting form, it can’t be hidden for much longer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man laughed mockingly, throwing his arms to his side with an aura of superiority. “Nice words kid, but you have no power in this world, you can’t do anything beyond bark like a dog.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira instinctively went to stop the man by preparing to grab him with all his strength but the man fell over as if on purpose as he tried to stop him. “Damn brat, I’ll sue!” the man yelled with all his rage and spite directed at Akira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit!” Akira muttered to himself grasping himself tightly to contain his rage. Remembering that incident makes him irritated and feel powerless. ‘I don’t regret what I did, and I’d do it again, the world needs a hero after all,’ Akira thinks to himself thoughtfully with a hint of sadness and regret.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira overhears some girls gossiping about mental shutdowns cases and rumours about a mysterious hero of justice. “Whatever,” he mumbles to himself with a sense of irritation in his voice. “You can think what you want to believe but this is the real world not a fantasy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The train stopped slowly whilst ratting side to side due to the train tracks and eventually stopped. Akira exhaustingly got off on to the busy, bustling streets and started walking. He began looking at his phone wondering how the place he was assigned to stay at would be like. He stopped for a second, overwhelmed whilst looking at the large amount of people in the city. As he looked back at his phone, he noticed a creepy red eye on the screen. ‘What the hell is this’ Akira thought to himself. He narrowed his eyes in confusion wondering how it got there he tried to delete the app but without luck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly it was as if time stopped moving, people, cars everything became still. Besides Akira himself. “What?!” he shouted in surprise. A giant mass of what seemed to be blue flames appeared in the distance then suddenly he had a vision of what seemed to be him having an immense power as well as having a strong sense of exhilaration from it, like the feeling of someone breaking free from the chains that bind them. Time began moving again as if nothing happened. “I must be exhausted...” Akira groaned while binning the weird app. “I’ll be late at this rate, I need to hurry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira arrived at the Sakura residence as he gazed towards the building. A rather simple house greeted his eyes, yet he continued to admire the surroundings, comparing it to his own house back home.  Hesitating a little, he rang the doorbell and awaited a response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>'Is nobody home?' Akira thought to himself as he shrugged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you looking for Sakura-san?” said the delivery man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” replied Akira uncomfortably as he hadn’t talked to anyone since before he left for Shibuya from his parents home in the countryside. “I’m supposed to be staying with him for this next year. Do you know where he is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Usually at this time Sakura-san is working at his café Leblanc in the back alley. I have to make other deliveries now, but I hope you find him!” the delivery man said cheerfully as he got back into his van and drove away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After following the delivery man's direction Akira made his way outside of Leblanc. It was a cosy, vintage looking café that to him seemed to ooze with care and passion by its owner Akira felt a sense of comfort and nostalgia even though he’d never been here before. ‘I wonder what Sakura-san is like,’ Akira pondered as he lightly opened the frail looking door and entered the café alongside the noise of the bell that rattled on the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inside the café it seemed rustic and not what seemed to him to be a place that strived for popularity. Inside the café there was an older man with glasses and a goatee, he wore an apron reading a newspaper as if to shut out the gossip from the two customers sitting across from him. They were gossiping about what seemed to be an accident where a public transit bus was run down with customers in it who had been injured.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“…Oh, right,” said the older man with a hint of irritation as he noticed Akira. “They did say that was today.” the man put down his newspaper and got up to go over towards Akira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The older customers start warning the man about the recent incidents and for him to keep safe, but he shooes them away without any interest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Four hours for a single cup of joe,” the man sighs rubbing his forehead. “So you’re Akira?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s it to you?” Akira replied with aggression in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re the one, huh? …This will be a long year,” Sojiro sighs “Well anyway I’m Sojiro Sakura. You’ll be in my custody for this next year. I actually know your parents through customers of mine who visit frequently. Well anyway enough of that, follow me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sojiro began to walk off and Akira begrudgingly followed him through the café and up the stairs at the back. The stairs creaked as Akira walked up them ‘I’m supposed to be living somewhere as old and run down as this?’ he thought to himself on the way up. As he got to the top of the stairs, he was greeted by a room that was cluttered and dusty as if it were a place abandoned by its owner for years. Akira saw many things scattered around the room such as an old greying bed, a ladder among other trash and storage items and a box with old belongings from his home. ‘Home, huh...’ Akira began to reflect on his past experiences there. ‘I was never wanted there, and I was thrown away for being a burden to them, I bet they were relieved they finally had a reason to get rid of me.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is your room,” Sojiro states nonchalantly. “I’ll at least give you sheets for your bed. You look like you want to say something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a shithole, am I actually supposed to live here?” Akira replies with dissatisfaction in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then it’s on you to clean it up if it bothers you so much. I’ll be leaving after I lock up each day,” Sojiro pauses for a moment gripping his fedora lightly for a second. “You’ll be alone at night, but don’t do anything stupid. I’ll throw you out if you cause any trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I promise I won’t,” replied Akira “I have no reason to cause any more trouble than I already have, I just want to get this year over with so I can get on with my life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have the gist of your situation,” Sojiro answers sternly with a frustrated look on his face. “You protected a woman from a man who was forcing himself on her, he got injured then sued you. That’s what happens when you get yourself involved in incidents between two adults. You injured him…and now that you’ve got a criminal record, you were expelled from your old high school.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could have hurt him if I wanted,” Akira retaliates clutching his arm tightly, “He injured himself, and even if I did injure him, I don’t regret trying to save someone from being forcibly taken by a greedy asshole of a man who wants to do what he wants with her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can understand why you may feel frustrated by this, but your reckless actions only caused trouble for your parents and even your teachers and school. They agreed to send you away for being a pain in the ass,” Sojiro interrupted harshly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay away from him!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’ll beat you up too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People like him disgust me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s been expelled. Don’t get involved with that boy he must be a monster.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Ugh...’ Akira groaned in anger whilst clutching his head. He still isn’t over what happened back after the incident occured, and it hurts him to remember how all his friends and classmates, even teachers, alienated and isolated him after the incident with that man. “Shit! Why do I have to be punished for just wanting to help someone, this society is corrupt, but I have no power to do anything about it!’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, are you okay?” Sojiro answered with what appeared to be genuine concern. “If you are tired you may as well rest, we need to go to Shujin Academy tomorrow and you need to make a good first impression you have any intention of getting rid of that criminal record. What a waste of my Sunday…” Sojiro headed home leaving Akira all alone in the attic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira decided to clean his room as he will be living here from now on. First, he checked his belongings and found some of his old clothes, a black a shirt and beige jeans. He changed into them for more comfortable clothing and then he started to first dust his room, then sweep and mop the flooring and finally he made his bed then just collapsed and lay down in it. The moment he did so, memories about his parents reoccurred.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Akira, you are a disappointment to our family, I wish we never had you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are sending you away to Shibuya as we don’t want anything to do with you, I hope it sorts you out for good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira got depressed thinking about how his family and his so-called ‘friends’ treated him after the incident. ‘Why am I being treated like a burden? I didn’t do anything wrong; this world is bullshit!’ he thought to himself in anguish.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira glanced at his phone and noticed the creepy app again. “I swear I deleted that,” Akira says in annoyance, and he tried to delete it again. “I guess it may be worthwhile to sleep so I can be ready for the day tomorrow.” Akira put his phone down next to the bed and closed his eyes and immediately fell into a deep slumber.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira woke up suddenly in what appeared to be a prison cell. His clothes seemed to be what a prisoner would wear being white and black striped and having an appearance of rotting away, and his arms and legs were trapped in chains. He began to panic ‘What the fuck is going on here,’ Akira thought to himself. He slowly got up and walked towards the bars in a panic. Akira saw two childlike girls who wore what seemed to be warden attire and a long nosed man sat in a chair staring at him from across the cell.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trickster… welcome to my velvet room,” the man remarked with a wide smile across his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, you’ve come to, inmate,” one girl stated sternly without compassion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are only experiencing this as a dream,” said the other girl with a tone much gentler and softer than the other girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are in the presence of our master, stand up straight,” said the other girl again with a lack of compassion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room only those bound by a contract may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why have you summoned me here?” Akira replies in panic, gripping the bars with all his might. “What is the purpose of me being here? Is it some sort of joke?”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have summoned you here to speak of important matters and it involves your life as well,” Igor states vaguely. “I am surprised by the shape this room has taken form. A prison of all things…maybe that reflects your current state in life. You are truly a prisoner of fate, and you will surely face ruin in the near future.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ruin?” Akira replied with shock and anger “Are you bullshitting me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do not worry there is a way to oppose this fate, you must be ‘rehabilitated’ this is your only means of opposing ruin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If being rehabilitated will stop the ruin that will be approaching then I will do whatever it takes!” Akira replied with determination.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very well then,” replied Igor. “By the way this is Caroline and Justine, they serve as wardens here. Now the night is waning, may we meet again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira wakes up the next morning. ‘I had a weird dream...’ Akira quickly checks and sighs in relief when he notices he is back in his own room and normal clothes. ‘Ruin? Rehabilitation? I have no idea what any of this means, it was just a dream anyway I shouldn’t think too hard on it.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Looks like you’re up,” said Sojiro as he walked into the room “Well then, let us go introduce yourself to the staff properly about the transfer. The school is in the Aoyama district, but it takes too long to get there by train, I’ll drive you for today, but only today, let’s go. Sheesh men aren’t usually allowed in my passenger seat,” Sojiro muttered as he walked ahead to go get the car ready.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira got up out of bed and dressed into his Shujin Academy uniform. He still felt a bit dazed and groggy from being unable to sleep the night before due to a weird dream he had. Akira made the bed quickly and grabbed his new Shujin bag off the side before going downstairs to catch up with Sojiro and get into the car.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira felt slightly uncomfortable by the awkward silence while he and Sojiro were headed on their way to Shujin academy, so he decided to ask Sojiro a question. “Hey, Sojiro, how exactly do you know my parents?” Akira asked suddenly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your parents huh? Honestly, I don’t know them that well besides what I’ve heard from them due to gossip from my customers I unfortunately have the displeasure of overhearing.” Sojiro pauses for a second. “If you want an honest opinion, I don’t like them, parents are supposed to care and look after their children regardless of any mistakes they make. They are kids who need to be taught what’s right and wrong. I can understand how much it would hurt having to be raised without anyone to teach you that or give you basic care any person deserves. So that’s why I want to treat you as a person, I’m not going to judge you for any past mistakes. The past is in the past all that matters is how you learn and grow from this point on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira was surprised by Sojiro’s response. He had been alienated and abandoned by everyone he ever knew and then this man, who barely knew him shows him genuine kindness and care, albeit with a blunt exterior. “Thanks Sojiro, it helps a lot to hear that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s no need to thank me,” Sojiro replied “I’m only saying my own thoughts on the situation. It's up to you what you decide you want to do and who you want to become.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira and Sojiro finally pulled up outside of a high school building. “This is Shujin Academy, the place you will be attending for the next year,” Sojiro stated “Now do me a favour and behave yourself alright? Don’t get me wrong I don’t care what happens to you, but I don’t want you to cause any more trouble for me than you already are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They both got out of the car and started to walk towards the building and then kept walking through the school corridors until they made it to the principal’s office. “We’re here, now all we need to do is go meet the principal and get accepted into the school. That’s it, don’t say anything out of line even if you are provoked, we don’t need the principal to cause even more trouble for you, he knows what you have done after all just make a good impression and give no reason for him to treat you any differently than any normal student.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got it,” Akira replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They walked into the office and saw a small, fat, bald man in an oversized suit and a younger woman with a look of general disinterest on her face. Sojiro signed the application letters while Akira had to listen to the principal's whining. “Just to reiterate you will be immediately expelled if you cause any trouble for us, in my opinion you are just a liability, but we had our circumstances to consider...” The principal bellowed as if he was a horse that wouldn’t stop neighing. “Whatever you may have gotten away with in your hometown those days are over, if you are thrown out of our school you will have nowhere to go. Keep that in mind. This is the teacher in charge of your class.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman next to the principal replied in a monotone voice that conveyed her lack of care for her job “I am Sadayo Kawakami,” she handed Akira his student ID. “Be sure to read the school rules, any violations will have you sent straight to the guidance office, if you cause any trouble I won’t be able to protect you. That is what you promised right, Principal Kobayawa?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, he is responsible for all his actions,” Kobayakawa replied with a stern look on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re done explaining things mind if we get going? I have a store I need to get back to,” Sojiro interrupted impatiently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sakura-san please keep a close eye on him, ensure he doesn’t cause any trouble while he’s out of the school premises,” Kobayakawa angrily said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve already given him a stern talking to about the situation he is in,” Sojiro replied with a fed up look on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sojiro and Akira walked out of the principal’s office and started to walk back through the corridors to get back to where Sojiro parked his car. Sojiro suddenly stopped walking and said, “Everyone’s giving you the cold shoulder, I guess that’s what happens when you have a criminal record, try not to get expelled or I won’t hesitate to kick you out, got it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As long as they don’t start any trouble with me, I won’t cause any problems at all but if someone, anyone, tries hurting another person who needs help, I won’t hesitate to help them even if it ends with me being expelled and getting kicked out.” Akira stated bluntly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sheesh you seriously are a troublemaker, not that I can’t understand wanting to do good but please don’t overdo it again like you did with that man that caused you to end up in this situation,” Sojiro replied exhaustedly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, dammit I understand,” Akira replied angrily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, let’s go home now,” Sojiro replied ignoring Akira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira and Sojiro went back to the car and started driving but on their way home they ended up getting stuck in traffic. “Ugh. The traffic is not moving at all, you’ll be taking the train starting tomorrow. So how was it? The school I mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seems like a crappy place honestly,” Akira replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you even understand your position? You’ve been expelled once before, it’s not like anyone will be sympathetic to you if you get expelled again,” Sojiro sighed while he had his hand on his fedora. “what a troublesome kid I’ve taken in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why did you take me in then if I’m such a bother to you?” Akira bluntly said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was asked to do it, and I just… happened to agree to it, I’ve already been paid for it already too,” replied Sojiro.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The radio reports news about a subway train incident, which resulted in many deaths and injuries. ‘Something doesn’t seem right here Akira thought to himself.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Another accident...” Sojiro sighed “So that’s why the traffic is so bad today. Oh, by the way there was this really sad one last month. If I remember right the girl that passed away was only 15, her parents must be...”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The radio again keeps going into detail about the accidents that are occurring. It took a long time but after a while we managed to make it through the traffic and back to Leblanc.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira and Sojiro walked back into Leblanc after the long ride back home. “Damn, the traffic was awful. I didn’t even get to open up my café. Whatever…come on head upstairs there’s something I want to give you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira followed Sojiro upstairs and he handed him a diary. “What’s this for?” Akira answered in exhaustion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a diary. There aren’t any limits on what you can do under probation, but I’m obligated to report on you, so it’ll be easier for me to keep track of your daily activities,” Sojiro replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Makes sense, I’m only doing it since I have to, but it sounds like a pain in the ass to me,” Akira bluntly replied, “Doesn’t exactly feel like I’m free to do what I want if my every action will be reported and watched.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s your own damn fault...” Sojiro paused and took out his phone which was ringing, and he answered it “Hey what's up? …I’m about to leave right now. Don’t worry I’ll see you soon.” Sojiro put his phone away. “Well, I’m off. I’m going to lock the place up so do whatever you want for the rest of the night but don’t mess up my store otherwise I'll hand you right over to the cops.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sojiro left the store in a rush. Akira wondered where he was going off to in a rush, but he decided to just forget about him. He went over and grabbed the journal Sojiro gave him to record his daily activities in. “I may as well do as I’m told for now, it’d just cause me more issues if I didn’t.” Akira ended up writing out the basics of how his day went and once he was done, he just went straight to bed as tomorrow was his first day at Shujin academy. “I wonder how my first day will go,” Akira thought as he began to doze off in his bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira woke up in a rush. He was somewhat nervous about going to Shujin since he worries that he will become an outcast again like he did back in his old school and hometown. Akira started to worry that maybe he would get lost with finding the right train to get to Shujin as Shibuya is a much bigger and bustling place than his hometown was which was in the countryside. After Akira got dressed, he headed downstairs but as he went to open the door Sojiro suddenly called for him. “Hey, aren’t you going to eat something before you head off for your first day?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to be late at this rate so no thanks,” Akira replied hastily as he headed straight out of the door and headed on his way to the train station. After a somewhat lengthy walk Akira made his way to Yongan Jaya and got on the train which headed towards Shujin and Akira got off to change to the Ginza line and got off at Aoyama-Itchome.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As I got off of the subway it started raining heavily. I ran as quickly as I could until I found a store, I could get some shelter from the rain as I waited for it to calm down. I checked my phone for the time, and I had plenty of time to spare before I’d have to start rushing to Shujin. Suddenly a girl ran past me and got under the same shop to cover herself from the rain. She took off her hood and she had long platinum blonde hair that flowed down her back tied into twin tails. She seems as if she moved to japan from somewhere distant. Suddenly a car drove up in front of where Akira and the girl were staying under in wait for the rain to calm down and a ripped man with a mop head that gave Akira a repulsive feeling about him from a first glance rolled his window down and called for the girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning. You want me to give you a ride to school? You’re going to be late” The man called.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah sure!” Replied the girl with a hint of hesitation as she got into the car with the man and they both drove off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly a blonde haired boy who looked like a thug ran straight past Akira and suddenly stopped in his place panting. “Screw that pervy teacher,” The boy yelled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pervy teacher? What are you talking about, you mean that man just then?” Akira replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh, what do you want? You are planning on ratting me out to Kamoshida are you?” The boy answered back with a look of irritation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, I might, you do seem suspicious and someone I should stay away from,” Akira replied jokingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For real? Or are you just messing with me?” the boy replied in panic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just messing with you, don’t worry. The teacher seemed suspicious to me too. Honestly just from that short interaction I saw of him he feels like he's hiding something” Akira answered calmly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Glad I’m not the only one. He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is? A king of a castle, don’t you agree?” The boy angrily stated as he started to get more irritated by this man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“King of a castle?” Akira replied in confusion. “What castle?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s just an expression man… but what you don’t know about Kamoshida? Are you for real? You’re from Shujin right?” replied the boy who seems completely confused by what is going on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think so yeah, it’s where I’m supposed to be starting at today, I’m a second year,” Akira answered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, same as me then! Makes sense why you wouldn’t know Kamoshida then.” The boy answered. “By the way my name is Ryuji Sakamoto, nice to meet you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My name is Akira Kurusu, nice to meet you too,” Akira answered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, no time for introductions, we need to go to Shujin now. Hey, follow me I know a shortcut.” Ryuji started suddenly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Akira started to walk, he felt a bit lightheaded, but he tried ignoring it and followed Ryuji on the way to Shujin. They made their way through what seemed to be a shortcut, through the allies and shops, which made Akira worried it was the right way, but he decided to trust the boy. Suddenly Akira got an intense chill as if something were wrong, but he decided to ignore it and kept going following Ryuji.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah holy shit!” Ryuji screamed in surprise ahead of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira ran quickly to go ahead to where Ryuji was, and he saw what appeared to be a large unsightly castle coloured in what appeared to be like a red distortion. “Huh, I’m sure we took the right way, I don’t think we got lost or anything. I’m sure this is the right place, let’s go in and check,” the boy said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Akira and Ryuji went into the interior of the ‘school’ they immediately noticed how strange and bizarre it was, it didn’t feel like anything natural. The atmosphere gave Akira a frightening and intense feeling. As he scanned the area he noticed many items that seemed out of place in what should be a school, such as the grotesque picture of a man at the back of the hall and many chandeliers and lanterns scattered around the hall ‘maybe I’m dreaming’ Akira thought to himself whilst rubbing his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell. This should’ve been the school right? Maybe I’m losing it…. But the sign at the front did say Shujin i can’t have imagined that right?” Ryuji says with visible confusement as gestured to Akira expectantly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t paying much attention honestly; I was just following you,” Akira replied bluntly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly what appeared to be a man wearing a cosplay of what seemed to be a fictional knight starting to walk towards them, sounds of armor rattling as he did.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Geez you freaked me out…” Ryuji stated exhaustingly “Who are you? A student? Man, your costume is super impressive. Is that real armor or something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The knight’ in the armor stayed silent as another armored knight approached them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait what’s going on? Is this a prank or something?” Ryuji screamed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too elaborate for a prank,” Akira stated calmly, tensing himself up to run away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dude I know that! And how the hell are you able to keep so effin calm during this? We need to run, now man!” Ryuji answered frantically.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>More and more knights came and blocked off all their escape paths. One viciously knocked Ryuji to the ground by knocking him in his legs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ahh you’re going to break my bones dammit. Ugh what the hell is this,” Ryuji screamed in total agony.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take them away!” called a familiar voice with a sense of superiority.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guards then knocked the both of them out and took both the boy and Akira through the slimy, rotten smelling castle and went into what appeared to be the sewers. They got led a while away until they got thrown into a jail cell together. After some time passed…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey man you okay?” Ryuji called shaking Akira as if to wake him up “You’ve been knocked out for a little while. It's probably best you get up so we can figure out what to do about this situation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira got up from what seemed to be a bed, he looked all around him and found he was in a grimy, run down prison cell. There wasn’t much in there besides the countless chains on the walls, the bed and the few barrels placed at the front of the cell. “Ugh…where are we? I know this isn’t Shujin for sure, but we need to figure out a way to get out of here, I don’t think we can last much longer here by ourselves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It seems this isn’t all a dream then. Ugh, what the eff is going on here,” Ryuji ran to the bars at the front of the cell and screamed, shaking the bars as if he was out of control, “Hey let us the hell out of here! I know someone is out there listening”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay calm,” Akira snapped, “Panicking won’t do us any good, we may as well investigate the cell to see if there’s anything we can use to escape from here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, good idea,” the Ryuji stated more calmly this time with an apologetic look in his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Akira got up and started searching. He first checked under the bed for any secret passageways then he scoured the walls hoping to find anything that’d give them a clue of how to get out. He even checked under the barrels hoping to find some sort of clue. “Dammit there’s nothing!” Akira shouted in frustration slamming his fist against the wall in rage. “Maybe we should just wait here for the ones who trapped us here to come back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess we won’t have to wait long,” Ryuji replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly a knight from earlier started to approach the front of the cell. “Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon, your charge is unlawful entry, so you’ll be sentenced to death.” he said in a menacing tone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly a familiar man approached the cell albeit in unfamiliar clothing. A long cloak with heart shapes and a crown on his mop head. “No one’s allowed to do as they please in my castle,” the man gloated raising his arms to the side with a revolting sneer on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, is that you Kamoshida?” Ryuji replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought it would be some petty thief but to think it’d be you Sakamoto… trying to disobey me again it seems you haven’t learned your lesson at all, huh? Also, you brought a friend with you because you couldn’t do anything yourself,” Kamoshida replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This aint funny you asshole!” Ryuji shouted in disgust and as if he wanted to punch him in the face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don’t understand the position you are in at all. You not only broke into my castle but insulted me the king, the punishment for that is death! Knights it’s time to execute them!” Kamoshida shouted, raising his arms to guide the knights to Akira and Ryuji.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck is wrong with you!” Akira screamed as he tried to fight back “You can’t do whatever you want without any punishment, there’s a law for a reason!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh really?” Kamoshida sneered as if he was in total control of the situation.. “Seems you don’t know your place; you can wait your turn, Sakamoto is first.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The knights came into the cell and surrounded Ryuji holding his arms back to contain him. Akira tried to go help him out of there, but he was pinned against the wall by the knights. The knight then beat Ryuji viciously to the floor making him unable to run away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit! Goddammit!” screamed Ryuji in pain groping his legs which appeared to be injured. “Why the fuck do good people always get mistreated by assholes like him and get away with it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have no right to run your mouth like that!” Kamoshida screamed as he came over to Ryuji and started beating him repeatedly. “You are in the presence of the king, you should instead be grovelling at my feet and asking for forgiveness for the many crimes you have committed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit!” screamed Ryuji with pain. “It’s you who needs to answer for your crimes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lowly pest!” Kamoshida shouted as he slammed Ryuji to the ground leaving him without the energy or strength to fight back any further. “Haha, where’d your energy from earlier go? A worthless insect like you isn’t worth beating.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop! Why the hell are you doing that to him!” Akira screamed in total anger.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? Don’t tell me you don’t know who I am? That look in your eyes irritates me,” said Kamoshida in an irritated tone as he began to start beating up Akira in the same horrific way as he did to Ryuji.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m done for now, hold him there! I’ll kill him after this one,” Kamoshida headed back towards Ryuji with a sense of accomplishment and exhilaration on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, I don’t want to die!” Ryuji screamed with fright in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘This is truly an unjust game… Your chances of winning are almost none. But if my voice is reaching you there may yet be a possibility open to you.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Are you forsaking him to save yourself?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Death awaits him if you do nothing’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Was your previous decision a mistake then?’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘No, it wasn’t!’ Akira thought to himself in reply to the voice in his head ‘I’d do that again even if I had the chance to repeat events.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Very well… I have headed your resolve.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly Akira’s body filled with indescribable pain and he started to scream in agony, throwing his body around in a fit of rage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘Vow to me.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘I am thou, thou art I.’         </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Thou who are willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Call upon my name and release thy rage!’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained down to hell itself.’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Execute him!” Kamoshida screamed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop it! Otherwise, I’ll force you to stop with my own hands” Akira shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“what was that? You desire to be killed that much, then fine I’ll start with you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A guard attacked Akira, knocking his glasses from his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly Akira felt a sudden burst of power enter into him, what felt like shockwaves of wind suddenly came out and attacked everything around him, Kamoshida was shocked, and his usual cocky façade was gone for an instant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly Akira noticed there was a mask on his face that wouldn’t come off. He tried with all his might to pull it off whilst in constant agony during the act. The mask suddenly came off ripping Akira’s face along with drops of blood pouring everywhere. Akira stood there lifeless for a few instants until suddenly he felt a sudden, extreme burst of exhilaration flow through him and he couldn’t stop smiling. A sudden burst of blue flames started to cover Akira’s body and his outfit seemed to change into a ‘jesters’ costume that was shaded in a black and grey with red gloves. The blue flames suddenly started to take shape and became a large creature of red with a similar style as the outfit Akira is now wearing with chains now flowing around the room. Akira suddenly used his new power to knock all the guards and Kamoshida away. Akira just took in an immense amount of pleasure from his power. ‘Now I can finally be who I always wanted to be…I can finally save others, I’m finally not the powerless, unwanted kid as I used to be”.</span>
</p>
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